Sure Healthcare (Leeds)

Updated 8 December 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on 16 August 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 1 relative and 2 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the nominated individual, registered manager and 3 care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed records relating to the running of the service and 3 people’s care and medication records. We reviewed 3 staff files in relation to recruitment, training and supervision.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence we found.

Updated 8 December 2022

About the service

Sure Healthcare (Leeds) is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes and flats. At the time of our inspection they were supporting 9 people. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider did not ensure systems were in place to effectively oversee the service. Quality checks had not been routinely completed. Some people’s care plans and medicine records had not been recently audited. Risks to people’s health and safety had been assessed but some lacked detail. We found some improvements were required in how the medicines were managed. The provider responded promptly to our feedback about concerns and took action to address the shortfalls. The registered manager was approachable and supportive and provided leadership to the team.

People’s care needs were assessed. They received appropriate support with their nutrition and health needs. People and relatives spoke very highly about the care and support they received. They said they felt safe and staff were kind and respectful. Calls were on time and not rushed. Staff knew people well and supported them based on their needs, choices and preferences.

Recruitment was managed safely. Staff received the support and training required to carry out their role.

Staff asked people for consent before providing any care. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff encouraged people to make decisions about their own care, and promoted people’s rights to dignity, independence and privacy.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

The service was registered with us on 22 September 2020 and this is the first inspection.

We have found evidence the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led section of this full report. The provider has taken immediate action to mitigate the risk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified breaches in relation to good governance at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.